title: The Northland emergency meningococcal C vaccination programme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes an emergency meningococcal C vaccination programme implemented in Northland, New Zealand in 2011. The programme aimed to reduce the impact of a meningococcal group C outbreak on the Northland population, through vaccination of 85% of children and youth 12 months to <20 years with a meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The emergency vaccination programme targeted an estimated population of 44,000 children and youth. Vaccinations were promoted and delivered by Northland District Health Board Public Health Nursing Service, Primary Health Organisations, General Practice, and Maori provider services, at schools, general practice clinics, via community clinics and outreach home-based vaccination services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  32,410 children and youth were vaccinated. Overall coverage reached 73% (72% Maori, 75% non-Maori). Coverage differed across age, ethnic groups, school decile and geographic location. Vaccination coverage was highest for children 5 to <13 years at 84% for Maori and 81% for non-Maori. Coverage was lowest for the 17 to <20 year age group at 46% for Maori and 63% for non-Maori. In the pre-school population, 67% of Maori and 76% of non-Maori children 12 months to <5 years received vaccination. The 13 to <17 year age group reached 71% coverage for Maori and 70% for non-Maori.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Equitable, high vaccination coverage is attainable in an emergency vaccination programme in New Zealand. However a range of service options, including community outreach, are necessary to reduce access barriers for some groups. The programme presented useful insights into what is possible with focussed attention to adapting services to meet diverse needs.
authors.affiliation: Northland District Health Board, Private Bag 9742, Whangarei 0148, New Zealand. clair.mills@northlanddhb.org.nz
authors.forename: Clair
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Liane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Penney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000208:ethnology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C; D009520:New Zealand; D012572:School Health Services; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines; C410218:serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine